Valve



March 5, 1940. J; JOHNSON 2,192,193

VALVE Filed Jari. 29, 1957 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 1940. A, ,JQHNSQN 2,192,193

VALVE I Filed Jan. 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7' 4:IIWI////,, I) ml 1 6 O4 2 I 7?: z 50 E a 6'0 49 D 51 y F 49 fzzucvafi Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED sTA Es rr N'r OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to valves and more particularly to automatically actuated valves for controlling the flow of fluid to a heat exchanger.

One important application of this invention is I 5 to automatic valves used in controlling the admission of steam or hot water to a radiator.

Radiators as heretofore constructed generally included a plurality of coils'having the usual heat radiating fins and communicating with the supply pipe through a single header. Automatically actuated valves for controlling the supply inlet ofsuch constructions have long been in general use. Such valves have been controlled thermostatically, as well as by air pressure and various other means.

With such prior constructions, accurate control of temperatures is frequently difficult, especially with heat exchangers having a large number of coils. Under certain conditions, it is desirable to admit only a very small amount of fluid to the radiator in order to obtain the required temperature change, and this has been difficult with prior constructions in which the fluid entered all of the coils simultaneously. a

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of valve structure which is adapted to control the separate coils of a heat exchanger independently of one another so as to permit communication between the supply pipe and one, all or any intermediate number of coils whereby it is possible to obtain a very accurate control of the temperature; to provide improved means for automatically actuating the valve; and to provide a valve structure of this kind which is sturdy and simple in construction and comparatively inexpensive.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the center of one form of valve structure with all the valve elements closed, and showing a portion of an attached heat exchanger.

Figures 2 and 3 are transverse sections taken on the line 22 and 3 3, respectively, of Fig-- ure 1. 1

Figures 4, 5, and 6 are fragmentary views of the structure shown in Fig. l, but showing three different positions of the valve elements.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view of the valve seats and showing a modified form of valve structure.

Inasmuch as the improved valve structures embodying this invention may be used in connection with various forms of heat exchangers,

the accompanying drawings illustrate only the inlet or supply end of the heat exchanger.

In the form shown in Figure 1, the radiator or heat exchanger comprises three rows of coils I, 2, and 3 which are connected to a supply header 5 4 having partitions 5 and 6 which divide the header into three separate chambers I, 8 and 9, each of which communicates with only one row of coils.

The improved valve structure may be formed as an integral part of the header of the heat exchanger but, in the construction shown herein, it is formed as a separable unit which is connected to the header by threaded unions III engaging threaded nipples or' bosses II having fluid passages I2, I3, and I l communicating with the chambers 17,8 and 9 respectively.

In the construction shown, the improved valve structure comprises a cylindrical housing I5 providing a fluid chamber I6 towhich the steam or other fluid is admitted through an inlet II. The housing has an integral bottom I8 having threaded bosses'or nipples I9 connected to the nipples I l by the unions I 0 and provided with fluid passages 2E3, 2!, and 22 alined with the passages IZ, I3 and. M, respectively, and with the latter forming fluid conductors and provided with valve seats or ports 23, 24, and 25, respectively.

The passages 28, 2| and 22 are controlled'by valve elements A, B, and C,'res'pectively, which are carried by a head 25 fixed on a pair of rods 21 which are slidably mounted in sockets 28 formed in the bottom wall I8 and in 'stufiing boxes 29 in a cover 3!! which is detachably secured to the housing by screws 3|.

Connected to the projecting ends of the rods 21, is a cross bar 32 which is connected to the stem 33 of a bellows 34 which is adapted to shift the bars inwardly for closing one or more of the valve elements. Communicating with the bellows is an air line 35. It will of course be understood that the structure is not limited to the use of air for actuating the valve mechanism.

Bearing between the cross bar 32 and the cover 30, is a spring 36 for shifting the rods outwardly to open the valves when the pressure of the bellows is relieved.

The valve actuating means is housed within a protecting cap 3! detachably secured to the cover by screws 38.

The valve elements A, B and C are arranged so as to close in the sequence A-C-B as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 and to open in the sequence B,CA.

The valve elements A and C are substantially identical in construction and are slidably mounted on a pair of rods 39 secured at their upper ends to and depending from the head 26. Each of the valves A and C comprises a sleeve 40 forming a tubular valve stem having a conical plug 4| for engaging the valve seat. The sleeves are slidably supported on the depending rods 39 and are provided with slots 42 receiving pins 43 which project transversely through the rods. The

sleeves are normally urged downwardly relative to the rods by springs M bearing between the opposed extremities of the rods and sleeves.

As shown in Fig. l, the slots d2 in the valvecA are longer than the corresponding slots in valve C, and the pin 43 of valve C is closer to the head 26 than the corresponding pin of valve A so that, in operation, the valve A'closes before and opens after the valve C.

The valve B comprises a depending rigid stem 45 fixed on the head 26 and'having a conical plug 46 for engagement with the valve seat 24. The stem 45 is of such length that the valve B closes after and opens before the other two valves, as shown in Fig. 6.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. '7, the valves D, E, and F correspond to the valves A, B and C.

.The valves D and F are substantially identical in construction and each comprises a stem 47 having a nut 48 on one end thereof and a plug 4'9 on the opposite end thereof. A spring 50 embraces the stem and bears between the head 26 and the plug 49' for normally urging the plug away from the head. The stem 47 of valve F is shorter than the corresponding stem of valve D so as to cause the valve D to close before and open after the valve F.

The valve E comprises a plug 5i mounted on a stem 52 which is fixed on the head 26 and this stem 52 is considerably shorter than the stems of valves D and P so that the valve E closes after and opens before the companion valves D and F.

In operation, assuming that all the valve-s are closed as shown. in Fig. 1, when the pressure of the'bellows is relieved below the predetermined point, the spring 38 retracts the head 26 thereby immediately opening the valve B so as to open communication between the chamber l6 and the row of coils 2. If the fluid admitted to the row of coils 2 is sufficient to efiect the desired temperature change, the valves A and C remain closed but if, as in the case of a steam radiator, more heat is required, the headfiii continues to move so as to also open the valve C and, if the steam in both rows of coils 2 and 3 is not sufficient, the valve A opens.

It will thus be seen that this improved valve structure provides a means of accurately controlling the temperature.

Although but certain specific embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the constructions shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple valve structure of the class described designed to selectively admit and shut off a heating fluid to and from the separate compartments of a multiple compartment heat exchanger, comprising a housing adapted to be connected to a source of heating fluid and having in its bottom wall a plurality of outflow ports adapted to communicate respectively with the compartments of said heat exchanger, a correspending plurality of valves controlling said ports, v c

a header in said housing, rods extending slidably through the top Wall of said housing on which rods said header is mounted, valve opening mem bers secured to and depending from said'header and so connected to said valves asto open the latter seriatim and to move them seriatim to closedposition in the inverseorder, and means for moving said rods in both directions.

2. A multiple valve structure of the class de' scribed designed to selectively admit and shut off a heating fluid to and from the separate compartments of a multiple compartment heat exchanger, comprising a housing adapted to be connected to a source of heating fluid and having in a wall thereof a plurality of outflow ports adapted to communicate respectively with the compartments of said heat exchanger, a corresponding plurality of valves controlling said ports, each of said valves having a head adapted to open and close one of said ports and a stem, a

header in said housing mounted to move bodilyv toward and from said ports, valve opening members carried by said header having telescopic engagement with said valve stems, lost motion connections between said valve opening members and valve stems through which said valves are opened seriatim and closed s'eriatirn in the inverse order, and means for moving said header in both directions.

3. A multiple valve structure of the class described designed to selectively admit and shut off a heating fluid to and from the separate com.

partments of a multiple compartment heat ex changer, comprising a housing adapted to be connected to a source of heating fluid and having in a wall thereof a plurality of outflow ports adapted to communicate respectively with the compartments of said heat exchanger, a corresponding plurality of valves controlling said ports, j

each of said valves having a head adapted to open.

and close one of said ports and a tubular stem,

a header in said housing mounted to move bodily I toward and from said ports, rods secured to said header and telescoping in said valve stems, valve closing springs confined between said. rods and valve heads, valve-opening connections between said rods and valve stems permitting varying amounts of lost motion as said header moves away from said ports, and means for moving said header in both directions.

4. A multiple valve structure of the class (16- scribed designed to selectively admit and shut ofi a heating fluid to and from the separate compartments of a multiple compartment heat exclosing springs in said stems confined between the inner ends of said rods and said valve heads, pin and slot valve-opening connections between said rods and valve stems permitting varying amounts of lost motionas said header moves away from said ports, andmeans for moving said header in both directions.

5. A multiple valve'structure of the class described designed to selectively admit and shut oil a heating fluid to and from the separate com 'compartments of said heat exchanger, a plurality of telescopically mounted valves controlling all but one of said ports, a header in said housing mounted to move bodily toward and from said port, valve opening members carried by said header, lost motion connections between said valve opening members and said valves by which on an outward movement of said header said valves are opened successively and on an inward movement of said header said valves are closed in the inverse order, and a valve controlling said one outlet port and havinga rigid stem directly secured to said head,- said last named valve stem being of such length that its valve opens before and closes after said first named valves.

' ARTHUR J. JOHNSON. v 

